4 Ways to Factory Reset Your Windows Computer

Factory resets can solve a number of Windows issues. If your computer is far slower than it once was, you’re dealing with malware that won’t go away, or plan to sell your machine, a factory reset is the most convenient solution.
Depending on your setup and installed version of Windows, you have a few different ways to factory reset a laptop or desktop. We’ll show you how to reset a Windows computer as easily as possible. computer science computer science

First: Make Sure You Back Up!

Before you proceed with any of the below options, you should ensure you have a recent backup of your files. Performing a factory reset will wipe out all your installed programs and files, so you don’t want to leave anything behind. computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science

Check out our ultimate Windows 10 backup guide for all the methods you have for doing this. computer science

1. The Built-In Reset Option on Windows 10

Factory resetting was once a fairly inconvenient process, but Microsoft introduced a much easier way to do so in Windows 8. It’s also included in Windows 10 and is the best way to factory reset a computer for most people.
To access it, head to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. You’ll see a Reset this PCheader; click the Get started button underneath this. computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science

Reset or Refresh?

You’ll have two options to choose from: Keep my files or Remove everything. The first option sets your options back to default and removes all your installed apps (like browsers, Microsoft Office, and games), but keeps your data. True to its name, Remove everythingresets everything to factory defaults and removes your files.
Though the Keep my files option will retain your data, you should still back up before using it in case something goes wrong. computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science
If you picked Remove everything, Windows will ask if you want to clean the drive or just remove your files. Choosing Remove files and clean the drive will securely erase the driveso it’s harder to recover data from (this process takes some time). If you’re getting rid of your PC for any reason, you should choose this. Just remove my files is fine if you’re keeping your computer. computer science computer science computer science
Otherwise, if you picked Keep my files, you’ll see a list of apps that the reset will remove. Windows will save this to your desktop after the reset finishes so you can remember what you need to reinstall. computer science
Finally, confirm the operation by clicking Reset and wait for the process to complete. If you’re factory resetting a laptop, make sure you plug it in to avoid losing power during the operation. You’ll need to walk through the setup procedure once it’s done. computer science computer science computer science computer science computer science